Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, has received funding from the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP). The FrontFuel project is a first of a kind, and will use carbon dioxide (CO2) and renewable energy to produce a synthetic crude, to demonstrate the value chain of SAF, using Topsoe technology.
The FrontFuel project will operate in close collaboration with Sasol, a global chemicals and energy company that specialises in Fischer Tropsch technology essential for SAF production, and Aarhus University, Denmark, where the production plant facility will be located.
Kim Grøn Knudsen, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Topsoe, said: "The FrontFuel project is an exciting step forward to commercialise new technologies for the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and will make a meaningful contribution to helping decarbonisation of the aviation sector. By working with our expert partners and with the support of EUDP, we are confident we can accelerate the journey towards commercial production of SAF.”
Decarbonising the aviation sector poses some challenges, particularly due to high feedstock costs, scalability and the introduction of new efficient technologies. To achieve a net zero future in aviation, it is essential that alternative liquid drop-in fuel sources are available at scale. The FrontFuel project will provide testing of an integrated process applicable for efficient SAF production, enabling faster market penetration and accelerating the green transition. Using front-end SOEC technology with eREACTTM, which is the syngas manufacturing, to feed the Sasol Fischer Tropsch technology for syncrude production, FrontFuel will deliver the best-in-class method to SAF production from CO2, water, and renewable electricity.